Fuel dispensers such as those used for filling vehicle tanks at gasoline stations include a hose extending from the dispenser and terminating in a fuel delivery nozzle. Not infrequently, inattentive vehicle operators have been known to drive their vehicles away from the refueling area without disengaging the fuel nozzle from the vehicle fillpipe, resulting in damage to the dispenser and/or the vehicle, and often resulting in spillage of fuel and escape of fuel vapors.
My prior patent, Healy U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,574, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a coaxial breakaway assembly designed, preferably, to be installed between a short whip hose attached to the dispenser and a relatively long fuel dispensing hose terminating in a fuel dispensing nozzle.